


Lilac Waters

by cosmic_ink



Series: fishy business [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Drowning, Dubcon Kissing, Ecto-Genitalia (Undertale), Ecto-Tongue (Undertale), Ectobiology, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Merskeleton, NSFW, Oh jesus, Oh yes, Polyamory, Rarepair, Smut, Vaginal Sex, fast burn, its coming ya bois, it’s finally here my dudes, mermaid au, not beta read we die like men, off-screen sex, slight gore, will update tags as I go
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:48:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24712597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmic_ink/pseuds/cosmic_ink
Summary: I don’t rlly have a summary as of yet givjfdjduddknnBut it’s a rlly late mermay fic I’ve been working onHope u enjoy!
Relationships: Killer/Lust, Sans/Sans (Undertale), Swap/G/Razz, past Nightmare/Dream (implied)
Series: fishy business [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1803904
Comments: 163
Kudos: 122





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> my first Undertale fic after being in this awesome hellhole of a fandom for so long XD 
> 
> I can’t get this rarepair out of my head, see if y’all can guess who ;3 
> 
> Enjoy this weird shit I managed to cook up

_Is this the end?_

Killer thought as he felt himself sinking down further, and further into the deep beyond. His arms, which were frantically wadding towards the surface just a minute ago, were now rendered immobile before his gaze, hopelessly reaching towards the surface light.

  
And his chest. God it hurts.

Those goody-two shoes fuckers really don't hold back when necessary. Who would've thought the golden guardian could pack such a blow in his kicks. 

The yellow bastard managed to bust three ribs, and a few stray ink slashes clawed deep gnashes into his radius and femur. 

Maybe he should've been faster, more aware in the battle. And maybe he shouldn't have went so close to the cliff’s edge. 

But maybe, the harsh jabs he threw at the enemies today might’ve rub off the light Sanses just a little _too_ much in the wrong way. 

Never call the golden guardian Nightmare's bitch to his face ever again.

The next thing Killer knew he was being flung off the cliff with a brutal kick to his spine, further aggravating those broken ribs in the process. 

And to top it all off, a flash of blue met his eyes which brought upon a hard shove against his ribs. He didn't even have time to cry out before he found himself crashing into the rolling waves below.

  
And. It. Was. Agony. 

Feeling the burning sting from the salt water thoroughly encompassing his fresh ridden wounds, Killer screamed out and struggled to get a grip among the waves.

Skeletons didn’t need to breathe air, but a drastic change in environment from land to water in such a violent manner would clog up their mana flow. Which, in a way, was similar to drowning in a sense. Done in such a manner can be dangerously fatal to an abruptly submerged skeleton if they don't get back to land on time. 

And skeletons sink like rocks in water. Period. 

The water sloshing inside his skull wasn't helping much either, it was making it harder to think. But he had to stay conscious, he couldn't just end it right there. 

_I.....  
_

_Had to.....  
_

_Get back up...._

_I can't....._

_Can’t-_ _  
_

Killer's mandible slackened as a flurry of mana bubbles fluttered upwards towards the surface. His eye lights dimmed within lidded sockets, the darkness eating away at his consciousness. 

Right before he slipped away completely, Killer thought he saw a flash of purple in the corner of his gaze. 

  
  
  


..........

  
  
  


Somewhere, amidst the never ending blue, a pair of hands cradled a once sinking land dweller, who was bleeding a trail of black and copper in its wake. A brightly colored tail pushed against the currents with knowing strength, an urge to return to their dwelling in time. 

That by hoping, they weren’t too late to save a dying soul. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that blood trail is gonna attract sharks yo


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boi wakes up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can ya guess who? :3

  
  


_Pip....pip.....pip....._

When Killer first came to, it was to the sound of water dripping nearby. Furrowing his non-existent brows, the rousing skeleton twitched his phalanges, curling his toes, to which he realized were bare, feeling a cool breeze tickling them. 

He was lying on a strange cushioned surface, it felt glossy and off. His skull was slightly propped up by a firm pillow, keeping it elevated. 

There was a tight feeling on his chest, not unlike the feeling of fabric wrapped taunt around his rib cage. 

_Bandages?_ Killer thought as his phalanges ran over his rib cage. There was indeed something wrapped around his chest, but it wasn’t your typical fabric. It felt nothing like gauze.

With a wince, Killer opened his sockets, mustering just enough magic to ignite a pip of light in his right eye. 

What greeted him was a rocky ceiling. One of a cave.

_What.....?_

A dull pain throbbed through his body, making the crony groan as he sluggishly tried to gather his bearings. Deciding to sit up, however, proved to be a wrong idea, as it flared the throbbing pain further. 

Killer decided to switch tactics. Closing his sockets, the skeleton slowly turned over to his side, biting back a painful wheeze through his teeth in the process. 

Looks like he wouldn’t be allowed on any more missions for a while, Killer thought. 

When he succeeded. He opened his eyes.

What greeted him was water. 

And colors. 

Bright, splotches of color and lots of water. 

Killer let out a yelp at the sudden change in scenery, the bright glare making his already throbbing skull spin. Holding a hand over his cranium, the wounded skeleton slowly blinked open his sockets, trying to take in the scenery all at once. 

Oh stars, was he dead? 

Filling his gaze was a large, shimmering pool of water, the light from before shone down from above, dancing on the water’s glimmering surface.

There was a good amount of stone ahead before reaching the pool’s edge, in which it formed a round outcropping pavement encircling the pool. 

The pool’s floor seemed to be inclined. It went from shallow to a deeper end the further it stretched away from Killer’s gaze, leading to a dug divot in the water.

The divot was like an opening of sorts, it seemed to connect to another wall of water beyond the pool, letting the current flow in and back out of the somewhat circular pool. 

Killer decided to look skyward to see where the light was coming from. The cave he was in had walls forming upwards into a round enclosure, with one jaw dropping detail. 

It had a fucking roof.

And it was see through. 

The bedridden skeleton couldn’t help but utter a small “woah” at what he was seeing right now. The roof above appeared to be made out of a dome of faceted crystals.

It grew from the edges where stone meets air then met together to form a round dome covering the plant enclosure. Like some kind of natural green house.

And maybe that was actually what it was. 

The line of thought was further confirmed as Killer’s gaze drifted away to take in the plethora of multicolored things laying claim to the rest of the area. 

Brightly colored plants and corals, both familiar and ones the monster had never seen before were speckled everywhere before him. 

Some were planted from carved out spaces on the stone walls, a few with dangling ends hung down from their stone balconies, dripping morning dew into the pool. 

Some grew out from certain spots underwater near the pool sides, while many were just naturally sprouting out in colonies and bunches around the little enclosure Killer awakened himself to. 

Killer blinked. Then blinked again. When the scenery stayed present before him and had not drifted away in some trippy excuse of a comatose dream, he felt wholly stumped.

Fuck, he really was dead wasn’t he? 

And this was some weird ass limbo trip right before his soul ascends downwards to hell. 

A sharp pain from below snapped Killer out of his morbid musings. He looked back down to his chest, finally taking himself in. 

Navy blue straps were wrapped around his ribs, certain parts of it were stained the deep maroon. The red glow of his exposed soul flickered weakly above the bandages.

His arms and legs were of the same state, straps of blue bandaging over the mentioned limbs. 

It took Killer a second to realize he was also topless, a pair of pants the only remaining garment adorned on his form. Someone had apparently undressed him when he was unconscious. Which did not bode well with him.

That means he was also not alone. 

At that thought Killer bristled into attention. He was heavily injured and on the verge of death in the water, but had miraculously survived and lived. 

Not only that, he was also found, rescued by somebody since the battle. Someone had gone the extra mile and tended to his wounds even. 

Out of what, the kindness of their souls? Yeah right. No one in Killer books would go that far to save a dying soul without wanting something in return. Working with Nightmare had taught him that much. 

Which reminded him, he was also unarmed. 

Leaning back on an elbow, Killer raised a hand and summoned his magic. Which turned out to be another bad idea as the action instantly sent a painful jolt to his soul, pulling out a startled cry from him. 

That hand went to press against his sternum, right over his soul. The red target flickered wildly in a frenzy, it’s glow pulsing in rhythm. 

Okay. So magic was a no go. But he always packed a few spare knives in his coat and shoes. Though luck didn’t seem to favor him because neither of those things were with him nor on him right now. 

God can it get any worse?

.....

Apparently it can. 

A light tinkling of bells rang out through the enclosure, and that further sent the aforementioned skeleton on edge. 

Shit! Was someone coming?

The fact that he was physically incapacitated mixed with his state of undressed sent fear down his spine. His unease caused strings of liquid black to drip down his cheeks. 

In a flurry of thoughts, the monster settled on the decision to play unconscious. And prayed that whoever had brought him here would, hopefully, be fooled and leave him unscathed as much as fate would allow him. 

And if they didn't, well. 

Killer had been immobilized and required to fight tooth and nail to get out of dirty situations before. 

Right now wasn’t any different. 

Though during those encounters he at least had some access to his magic, unlike now, but that’s besides the point! 

Killer will just have to make do at the moment. 

In a speed that left his injured chest aching, Killer scooted back into his sleeping place and turned around, trying to make it seem as though his posture was as lax as possible. 

And then he waited. 

.....

As the minutes trickled by, nothing happened. Then a loud splash echoed throughout the enclosure, causing Killer to hunched in on himself. 

He listened closely to any sounds for the culprit of the splash. 

For a bit he heard nothing. 

And then came the sound of something breaching the surface of the pool. Whatever it was seemed to advance further into the enclosure. Rhythmic splashes, albeit smaller ones this time, rang out in swooshes. Getting closer and closer. 

Killer felt mana dropped down his skull.

There was the sound of something big breaking the water’s surface and pulling itself out of the pool. Gushes of water dribbled down, followed by the sound of something wet and heavy plopping itself onto the stone outcrop. 

A little ways off from where Killer laid. 

Nothing happened save for the steady dripping of water falling off from whatever had emerged from the pool. 

Then, came the sound of....glass?

Little glass clinks mixed with light clanks and plinks met Killer’s non-existent ears as a number of items were placed down onto the stone from where the being settled itself by the pool. What were they doing?

The person started to hum a gentle song.

Killer couldn’t help but stiffen at the resulting melody. 

After a moment, the sound of fabric shifting made itself known, and later, the clatter of a few trinkets moving here and there. 

Then he heard a crushing noise of something being grounded into smaller pieces. Along with the gentle splashes of something in the pool. 

That continued for a while, with the occasional clink of something being picked up and put back down. Feeling his pulse settled back down just a tad bit, the huddled skeleton decided to take a chance and rolled over to get a glimpse of this person. 

Killer sucked in a gasp, his sole eye light blinking out. 

Facing him with their back, was another skeleton monster. Though upon closer inspection, they were only part skeleton. 

Branching out from the other’s lower spine was a long translucent film of flesh, colored a gorgeous cyan, speckled with lilac. 

The other’s humerus were methodically moving with their task at hand, probably mixing something the gawking skeleton behind them couldn’t see.

The newcomer lacked a pair of legs.

In its place, formed from the bottommost ribs of the other was a long mass of violet ecto flesh. The rest of it fell off the ledge and was submerged into the pool, if the gentle splashing was anything to go by. 

The flesh was adorned in a shimmering coat of scales, which caught the sun and shimmered in the light. 

It didn’t take long for Killer to put two and two together and figured it out. 

The other was a fucking MERSKELETON!

And they were astoundingly beautiful, Killer silently thought.

_Wait what?_

Rapidly shaking his skull, he focused back on the matter at hand. 

The mer didn’t seem to notice that Killer had awoken, not pausing in whatever task that they were doing. 

The glass clinks from before was probably the result of numerous baubles and trinkets now spread out in a cluster next to the other skeleton. Each of them seemed to hold different specimens, raging from a variety of bite size objects to some with fine powder or rolls of herbs.

Are they.....making medicine?

Killer was so focused on ~~ogling~~ observing the mer that he didn’t realize he had leaned too far away from his pillow. The blunder had him slipping his skull off it and clanked hard on the stone below. 

The humming stopped, along with the grinding. 

.....

And the mer promptly turned around. Bright, purple eyelights met Killer’s voided ones. 

And then the mer smiled, showing all fangs and teeth.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ruh roh!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bois talk it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Killer finds out who the other is, learns some interesting details too

  
Killer felt the needle like prickles of fear crept up the back of his neck at the sight of those serrated fangs. His exposed soul now a pulsating mess of red and white on his chest, trickles of black dripped down in rivulets from his sockets. 

The mer put down what appeared to be a classic mortar and pestle down from their hands. With a mighty heave, they pulled the rest of their tail out from the pool. 

To Killer’s horror, the merskeleton began to make their way over to Killer, to which he yelped and scooted himself further away from the advancing mer. The approaching monster used their hands to heave themselves closer to the makeshift bed, their tail dragging behind. 

Now with the purple mer looming right before him, Killer can wholly take in the entirety of the merskeleton's stature. As he took in the purple mer, he failed to keep his cheeks from dusting a quiet red.

If it wasn’t for him freaking out right now, he would’ve said that the mer was downright gorgeous.

The other was lean and slim, but built in a way to make up for speed and dexterity. The ecto of their tail tastefully formed, beginning from the other's floating ribs and cascaded down in purple and lilacs. 

The mer had a playful smirk on their lips, violet rimmed sockets lilted in a gleeful manner. They leaned down on their arms, making Killer's dribbling sockets widen in fear. 

The mer gripped Killer's mandible gently in their hand, the other raising up and going for the latter's eye. The slender metacarpals tilted the socket's rim here and there.

They seemed to be peering inside the other’s sockets, a scrutinized look on their visage.

The mer let out a low croon, and repeated the process for the other socket. They then held both sides of the skeleton's skull, gently turning it sideways, then up and down.

Up close, Killer could see dainty little freckles speckled across on the mer's maxilla, colored the same hue as their tail. Their lips remained in the same delighted grin from before, revealing sharp canines beside rows of pointed incisors, all tinted a dull pink. 

A look of consideration briefly passed the purple mer's feature as they raised a thumb to swipe away the dark rivulets on Killer's cheek. They narrowed their sockets at the fluid, rubbing their index and thumb together at the questioning liquid.

Killer stiffly allowed his skull to be examined, feeling those roving hands inspecting the different parts of his face. The mer proceeded to pry open his mandible, looking inside his mouth, earning a small grunt from the former to which the mer giggled at.

Killer had to hold himself back from biting down on those prodding phalanges. 

However, Killer began to take notice of how those purple eyelights carried a calculating gleam to them, smouldering behind lidded sockets. The way the merfolk prodded at his jaw, they did so in a manner of practiced familiarity, as if they've done so many times before. 

Perhaps they were the one who treated his wounds? Most likely so.

A soothing thrill, mixed with rumbling clicks left the merskeleton while they looked satisfied at what they gathered from their little prodding fest. The purple mermonster booped Killer's nasal aperture with a finger, pleased at their patient's compliance. 

_What the fuck!_ Killer hissed at the mer for the ridiculous notion, though the mer didn't seem fazed one bit.

If anything, the fish fucker seemed to croon at his display, and then went to pat Killer's skull.

_Oh hell no._

Killer didn't let the pain from his injuries stop him from swiping at the merskeleton, aiming for the throat.

He was very on edge and weirded out, mind you.

And coupled up with the whiplash of nearly dying, and now waking up to an unfamiliar place with an even more unfamiliar face, just _touching_ him? Could you really blame him for lashing out? 

Apparently the mermonster _did_. 

The creature swiftly leaned away to avoid Killer's swat, right before deflecting the attempted punch which followed after. 

In a split of a second their purple eyelights sharpened to slits, and that was the moment Killer realized he'd fucked up. 

Having both the advantage of speed and perfect health, the merskeleton parted their jaws in a vicious snarl and bodily lunged at Killer. 

_Oh shit—_

The moment of surprise was enough for Killer to lose all his previous bravado and desperately attempt to retreat away from the other, screaming in terror. 

But Killer wasn't fast enough. Before he knew it, the mer had him pinned down by the wrists with the entirety of the merskeleton's upper torso looming above him.

A low, menacing growl rumbled out from the mermonster. Their jaws pulled back in an angry sneer, rows of rose colored fangs glisten in the shade. 

They smell of sea salt, and the ~~alluring~~ scent of sweet vanilla wafted against Killer’s senses

Nothing happened for a few tense seconds. 

Then the next thing Killer knew, his vision was getting filled up with purple, along with a wet, slick tongue prodding against his teeth. 

The sudden quick turn of events left him gasping, in which the other took that opportunity to slide their tongue in. 

Killer blearily grunted at the invading appendage, his wrists struggling against their captor's hold. His target-shaped soul flared out in surprise at the assault, wavering in response to unspoken desire.

After what seemed like forever, Killer finally managed to breathe again as the mer parted the kiss. The sound of his ragged panting filled the gap between them, before a saccharine laced voice spoke. 

"My word, is that anyway to treat a humble soul who fucking _saved_ you from the waters, dear land walker?"

…..

The one who was spoken to froze at the voice, glaring up at the ~~stunning~~ infuriating visage of the mer, who had looked not at all sorry for what had just concurred. 

"Heh....that's rich." Killer jeered. 

"Coming from someone who clearly has their patient pinned down against his whim? I wouldn't use humble to describe ya, fish face."

He briefly struggled against the mer's vice under the latter’s grasp, proving his point.

The purple mer huffed, rolling his purple slits. "Touché, my apologies."

And with that the mer promptly got off in a whiff, releasing the captured skeleton from their hold. 

Killer instantly backed away, trying to put as much distance between himself and the mer within the shaded space he laid in. If he wasn’t afraid before, he was definitely wary of the purple seamonster right now. 

Whether by kindness or annoyance, the mermonster seemed to heed his unspoken thought and shifted themselves further away from the injured one.

"Does it still hurt?" They asked, turning away to fetch something out of Killer's peripheral.

Killer glanced at the half skel's way, grin pulled down in sarcasm. 

"My ribs, you mean?" He curtly answered. "Or my pride?" 

That got a chuckle from the skeleton, their shoulders lifting in mirth. 

"Oh hush," the mer turned back towards their patient, in their hands held the mortar they were using before.

"I bet if someone like you have to gall to come roughhousing in the likes of this universe, you must've had enough pride to spare."

_Hold up, they knew about the multiverse theory?_

"And I wonder...."

Their purple eyelights turned piercing and they briefly glanced down to the swirling soul on Killer's rib cage.

Their smile gained a knowing quality to them, though was it amusement or judgement that Killer saw in their gaze, he wasn't sure. 

"What business does a _murderer_ like you, with such high LV, have to get themselves this close to feeding the sharks, hmm?"

Killer felt the edges of his grin pulled into a scowl as more ebony streaks painted his cheeks.

This motherfucker did a CHECK on him! While he was unconscious no less! 

"Oh yeah? You don't seem to have a problem getting up all in another monster’s personal business." Killer shot back with narrowed sockets. 

"How much did you see?"

"Mm, just enough." The purple mer answered him. The concoction they were making seemed to be completed, as the mortar was placed down a short distance away from Killer's pillow. 

The merskeleton reached towards the outside of Killer's resting place to get something, grabbing what appeared to be a ladle of some kind. 

"You nearly bled to death, after all. I just needed to make sure you weren't a lost cause, sweetheart." They said as they leaned away towards the pool, scooped some water and poured it along their purple tail.

They repeated the process for a while. 

_Ah, so their tail has a limit being outside of water,_ Killer figured. He might file that up for later. 

Though what the other said so far didn't explain why this mermaid? Merman? Decided it was worth fishing him out from the unfurling ocean depths, although he couldn't help but be a bit grateful for that. 

Killer took the opportunity to peep at the mix inside the stone receptacle.

A blotch of indigo sludge mixed with a few grain-like substances sat at the bottom of the mortar.

It permeated a grassy aroma, similar to that of lemongrass, with a sandy scent lingering behind. Pretty pleasant actually.

He wondered what it was with a critical eye. 

"That is for your wounds." The mer called back, as if to answer his question. 

"Do try not to inhale too much of its fumes, you might get dizzy."

Killer immediately jerked back at that statement, an accusing frown on his face. Glancing up, he saw the merskeleton slowly pulling themselves closer to where he laid. 

They had that teasing grin back on their freckled skull. 

"Kidding~" They said in a sing-song tone. It irked and somehow made Killer's soul flutter at the same time. 

"Though they do sting quite a bit on open wounds." 

They were looming right in front of Killer's prone form right now, their hands lifted in a placating manner above his ribs. 

"May I?" 

That got a scoff from the land skeleton, but it was followed by a "go ahead" gesture nonetheless. 

It's not like they hadn't seen him absolutely naked right about now, hence the currently bandaged ribs. Common decency was already thrown out of the window when this scaly monster decided to CHECK him. 

Killer kept a neutral grin on his skull, trying not to look at the other's lidded gaze. If the mer noticed his attempt at indifference, they didn't show it, and got to work. 

They raised a hand, flexed their metacarpals and unsheathed sharp blue talons from the ends of their distal phalanges. With practiced ease, off came the blue articles from Killer's ribs with some quick slits made at his side. 

The mer gently unraveled the streams, meticulous in their work. When the cool air brushed against Killer's ribs, he took a quick glance to access his acquired injuries. 

.....

It was....pretty bad. 

Most of his right ribs had it the worse.

A huge chunk of his false ribs were shattered horribly, tiny strands of crimson mana barely keeping the pieces in place.

He internally swore to get back at the positivity guardian in the future. That bastard won't see it coming.   
  


Deep, maroon cracks littered the entirety of his chest. Some deep enough for the glowing marrow within to be visible to the naked eye.

They went as far to the midriff of his lumbar, courtesy of Blue. 

Not a good sight, to put it simply. But it wasn't as if he hadn't had worse. 

The mer reached forward and grabbed the mix they prepared in the mortar. They then dipped their phalanges in and scooped out a wad of the salve. 

"As I said before, it might sting." 

And sting it did. Killer gripped the hem of his pants in a tight hold and shuddered against the healing burn of the salve.

The mer glazed the mix evenly over his ribs and spine, making sure every crevice and blemished fissures are filled. 

"It's a wonder you are even still alive." The mer uttered amid their ministrations. They proceeded onto Killer's legs next, slicing apart the old bandages. 

"Such a persistent soul for such a fiendish individual."

If it was one thing the merskeleton did, it was distract Killer with that ~~soothing~~ blasted voice of theirs. It helped somewhat, to not think about the pain. 

"You're awfully chatty all of the sudden." Killer couldn't help but say in a flippant tone. 

That earned a dark giggle from the medic, their grin turned impish. "What do you think that kiss was for, sweetheart?" 

Killer shot the purple mer an incredulous glare, voided sockets widen in disbelief. The mer returned his ire with a cheeky shrug, moving on to his arms next. 

“It’s for you to understand merspeak, I swear.” They tried to explain, not feeling bad one bit. 

"A few cycles ago, we had another surprise visitor on our parts, who was of the same kind as you." They started. “He was found by a friend of mine, madly shouting at the bottom of the seabed, hah!"

That perked Killer's interest a little. _Another skeleton monster?_

"The dark boned fellow was brought over to me by my friend. He was quite a handful might I say, and oddly endearing."

“My friend figured out the only way for him to understand us was via mouth to mouth contact. And thus, by kissing.” They shake their head in amusement, recalling the past events.

“And boy, that was one hell of a scene, about how we came to that conclusion, I assure you.”

A flash of movement brought Killer's attention away, and his gaze drifted to see the mer's tail shifting.

The tapered tip of their tail curled inward towards the mer, bringing a bundle of what appeared to be fresh new bandages for their charge. 

"The poor thing was found wrapped up in this strange dark substance of some kind,”

”And he had these......flickering inscriptions surrounding him which none of us had ever encountered before."

The merskeleton recalled as they unraveled the bundle, methodically slicing out strands of evenly cut ligatures for a fresh layer of bandages. 

Killer’s sockets widen at the purple mer’s description. 

_No, it couldn't be. No way._

"And the land walker kept calling us 'filthy abominations' in a weird, overlapping voice." The purple one made air quotes with a hand. "We barely understood him with all his angry rambling." 

Ah, yep, there it was. Killer knew of the skeleton the mer spoke of. Only one powerful slash manbaby-incarnate destroyer would match up to all of those descriptions.

"This….skeleton," Killer began. "He wouldn't happen to have blue streaks running down his sockets, yeah?"

The mer looked back up at Killer from reapplying the navy colored wrappings, purple eyelights returned to oval pips.

Their skull tilted ~~adorably~~ in question. "Friend of yours, I suppose?" 

Killer snickered, smirking a bit. "You can say that. We know each other from work." 

"Hnn, some work you two are doing. Getting yourselves sunken at the bottom of our waters a part of the job?" 

"Nah," Killer couldn't help but huffed a laugh. "We just happened to get caught up in some _fishy_ business sometimes." 

That made the mer tittered a musical giggle, laced with clicks of jollity. 

"That includes dirtying our waters by bleeding to death, and attracting predators to my grounds around these parts, darling?"

The purple mer made quick work of the bandages, having finished covering the wounded skeleton ribs over the layer of salve they had previously applied.

The herb mixture gave off a cooling effect against the wounds, similar to mint on a wet tongue. It certainly helped with the burning sting from prior. 

In the mean time, Killer glanced back up at the other, taking in their lidded sockets. 

From what Killer could gather, the other seemed cheeky and spoke with an air of bold haughtiness. Killer could tell despite their rather slim and lithe built, the mer made up for brute size with sharp words and quick-witted attacks towards threats. 

Those purple pips held promise, a warning to those who dared cross them the wrong way shall be met with a swift, lethal demise. And the purple mer carried all that with a sweet, enticing grin to their skull. 

"Like what you see, sweetheart?" 

Killer had been openly staring at the mer's features for so long that he didn't notice that they had finished wrapping up both his arms and legs. He quickly turned away with a bright maroon flush dusting his maxilla, eliciting a jolly titter from his caretaker's end. 

"Will you not grace me with your name, land walker?" The mer asked.

"Don't you already have it?" Killer lowly shot back, bitterness laced in his tone. "What from CHECKING me and all?" 

"Why yes. But I would rather have it properly given from the bearer, if you don't mind." 

The mer's grin widened a tad. "I can't keep calling you 'lovely thing’ in my head the whole time now can I?" 

If Killer's skull wasn't flushed before, it certainly was now.

But he doubled back with a sharp grin in return, a guarantee for payback towards that pert comment. He offered a hand, slow as he might, trying to work with his new set of bandages. 

"m’Killer. Happy to meetcha, fish face." 

The merskeleton replied with a smile full of fangs and deadly promise, accepting his hand with one of taloned tips. 

"Merfolk around these parts know me as Hearts." They pleasantly answered.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, dear Killer." 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw yeah! It’s Lust my homies!  
> I love this loverboy so much. And thus this weird rarepair was born. 
> 
> Mer!Lust is a sassy bag of gorgeous and bite 
> 
> Killer is confused
> 
> Is kissing another party to overcome a language barrier a thing? Just wondering XD  
> Cuz I can’t think of another example besides Teen Titans lmao


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Months went by. Feelings are shared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so excited to post this chapter y’all XD

The following days went by in a blur. Days became weeks, and soon, a few months have passed since Killer's arrival to Hearts' abode. 

Everyday was rather the same. It was beginning to make Killer feel bored and very antsy.   
  


Healing takes a lot from a monster and Killer found himself feeling out of it and very drained for the days to come. A monster's body automatically slows down one's vitality in order to put up with it's natural need to heal, rest, and replenish their mana flow. 

Like all living beings do. 

Most of the time Killer found himself napping, abiding his body's constant demand to recover. It didn't help that he was plagued by the usual dose of vile night terrors. 

Some nights he would wake up from a rather bad one, a dream veiled in screams and those haunting pair of red eyes.

If he was lucky (or perhaps not), Killer would abruptly wake up to the sight of the purple mer rousing him, shaking him awake from those cursed nightmares.

Sometimes, it was to a bowl full of water to his face. 

When he came to, those luminescent purple eyelights he came to know would fill his vision, peering at him with quiet concern.

A part of Killer didn't know how to feel about that, being on the receiving end where such a look was directed so openly at him. 

He retaliated once, during a particularly rough nightmare, probably wasn't even fully awake at that time either. Killer recalled having shoved the medic away in foggy rage, sockets dripping with excess hate. 

But rather than getting a wet slap to the face in return, Killer blearily remembered being gently laid back down, feeling something sliding across his zygomatic, wiping them dry.

Was he crying? He wasn't sure. 

.....

By next morning, Killer awoke to find his bedside empty. Saved for a small dish filled with the remains of melted wax.

It smelled of incense. 

.....

Perhaps he ought to be nicer to the medic?

.........................

The merskeleton, Hearts, would come and go as he pleased. 

Sometimes, he tried to engage Killer in smalltalk, quipping in mirth in that bright honeyed tone of his.

A random teasing remark would have Killer jeering something back at the mer, who'd gladly partake head to head with the skeleton in these verbal quips.   
  


.........................

The purple mer would take care of him on a whim daily, staying true to his role as a medic. The other played the role of caretaker professionally, hoping to ensure a swift recovery for his charge. 

Everyday, Killer would find himself checked up by the purple mer. The other would always grace him with that playful grin of his as he worked. 

The mer made sure the bandages were regularly reapplied, wounds tended to, and that the patient's mana levels never dropped below what was deemed unhealthy. 

Along with it, Hearts also made sure that his ward was well fed. 

Killer thought back to a certain time, it happened shortly after their first formal meeting with one another.

The mer had returned while Killer was sleeping away in one of his soon to be many more naps, causing the little bell tugged away somewhere in the enclosure to tingle. 

Killer was a light sleeper, as you might've figured. So he promptly blinked awake just as a familiar purple mer swam through the underwater entrance. 

The mer was dragging in the body of a large marine fish. 

Or what was left of it. 

Hearts had called out a happy greeting upon seeing his patient awake, who was gawking at the freshly killed carcass in the mer's grasp. The medic looked rather proud whilst brandishing his catch, and giggled heartily when Killer tried to scoot over for a closer look. 

He tied the fish by its tail to a sturdy coral near the edge of the pool, a few ways off to the left. Then he swam away to pin a film of netting over the ocean's entrance to the pool.

And then he got to work. 

Killer watched the mer expertly slice the meat of the fish with his distal claws, cutting it into slabs of meat the size of domino pieces. As the mer worked, Killer noted that a few stray fins or grime managed to stray away in the water. 

They followed the encircling current, made a round throughout the pool and got caught in the netting the mer had set up. 

The magic-induced current led a constant flow of sea water from the outside, flowing into the pool and out of it, creating a self-serving filter system to ensure a fresh flow of water at all times. 

Pretty impressive, Killer thought. 

Hearts had served the slices of fish on a huge leaf he plucked from one of the many surrounding plants, together with a helping of a magenta fruit sliced and prepared on the side. 

And to Killer who was hungry and in need of sustenance to replenish his mana supply, that was probably one of the best meals he ever had. Not to say the dish itself wasn't savory in its own right, because it was pretty darn good the next time Killer tried it.   
  


He didn't catch the gaze Hearts sent over his way while he ate. 

  
.........................  
  


Speaking of mana, Killer was eager to regain his hold on his magic. While Hearts was away, probably out to hunt or scavenge, the former worked on his magic to see how well he's recovering 

He tried creating some bone constructs, or call upon one of his many knives in his arsenal, but had never succeeded. 

So far, he only managed to conjure up a measly dagger or bone, both the size of his hand. Which, by Killer standards, was not fucking DEADLY enough. It was an insult to his ego. 

The man loved his knives long and sleek. Period. 

The skeleton's shortcuts weren't working at full capacity either, only able to port him a short distance from where he started. Flimsy too. 

One time, Killer ported himself a foot above to the far end of the enclosure, splashing into the pool.

Hearts came back to find his ward sulking at the bottom of the pool. 

Holding back an amused titter, the medic promptly scooped him up and brought him back to the ledge, barely dodging a dagger flung at his way from attempting to pat the skeleton's skull. 

Hearts giggled all the same.  
  


........................

Among the things Killer hated to admit, was the fact he had grew to appreciate the merskeleton's presence. 

Despite being mostly sharp-tongued, teasing, and chatty to no means of an end, Hearts actually made decent company.

And yes, though he was the _only_ company Killer had so far. But every minute he spent with the other, Killer genuinely came to look forward to it.   
  
He tried to ignore the flicker of warmth blossoming in his chest every time he thought about the purple medic, how a distinct part of him refuse to acknowledge what this newfound feeling could have meant.

.........................

A time when the sun was beginning to set, Hearts had returned with a bundle of woven twine by his side. Killer offered a short greeting at the mer's arrival, growing past the cool indifference from before. 

"Heya," He said. "What's in the bag?" 

Killer didn't miss the small delighted smile Hearts made, perking up at the question.

The mer placed the bundle on the pavement, prompting Killer to come closer. 

Upon studying up close to the item in question, Killer noticed that the contents inside were wrapped up in a sheen of shiny membrane. 

"It's something I've been working on~" Hearts happily supplied. “You wouldn't believe how long it took me to finally get all the sand out." 

The merskeleton went to unbundle the twine, looking pleased with themselves. As more and more twine and wrapping came undone, the contents inside became clear. 

Killer felt his sockets widen.

They were his clothes.

His sneakers seemed worse for wear, the rubber was torn at the edges, and his sweater looked as if it got gnawed on by a fish. The fur of his hoodie had chunks of it missing, having seen better days.

But they were dry. 

And they were whole. For the most part at least. 

Inspecting closer, it appears someone had tried to mend them. Killer held his hoodie(was the fabric softer??) in his hands, finding little stitches sewn over rips, acquired from that battle with the Stars a few weeks ago.

He brought the garment up close, it smelt of the sea with a tinge of floral sweetness. 

"I tried fixing what I could." Killer glanced back up to see the mer looking somewhat bashful at the statement, smile meeker than usual. 

"The things you wear on your walkers had a hermit crab living in it."

"Heh...The little critter was mad at me to evict her from her new home.” Hearts chuckled at the memory. 

“Luckily, there was a suitable glass cup I had that she was willing to trade with me instead."

.....

For a moment, Killer said nothing as he tried to process what the mermonster had implied. 

All this time, the mer had made time to fix his clothes. 

He had thought the rest of his bloodied attire were lost to the currents of the deep when Hearts fished him to safety, never to be seen again.

It wasn’t bad, per se, as he kept tons of extra hoodies back at the castle. 

And yet, here they were. 

Found by Hearts, who went out their way in an attempt to preserve them. 

For _him_.

......

"Thank you," uttered Killer. 

Hearts peered towards the land skeleton, who was looking down at the hoodie in his hands. The exposed soul pulsed softly on his chest, casting a soft crimson glow to Killer's skull. 

He returned a lovely freckled smile of his own, sockets lidding in content.

“You're very welcome, land walker."

Both of them missed the way Killer's soul briefly flickered into another shape.

.........................

Despite knowing of the sins he bore, of the tainted soul that he is, Hearts never shied away from Killer(part of him felt miffed at the idea, he was scary god dammit!).

The mer still prattled to Killer in that same playful tone of his, with that ever teasing grin present on his skull. 

Never once did he treat Killer any different from how one might treat a friend.

It was nice. 

.........................

Killer couldn't fully understand why a stranger would go out one's way to help him.

Everyday, he had expected the medid to finally ask for something in return, to reveal his agenda for all the help Killer had unabashedly been given. 

He barely had any access to his magic and was still physically unfit to put up a fight. The healer could do absolutely anything he wished upon Killer's body, mind and soul. 

But none such notion came true. 

If Killer had full control his magic, he would've just 'ported himself out of the merskeleton's fins. It was a much better option than risk getting attached. 

Which, unfortunately, Killer became aware that he already was. Bit by bit. 

It made his soul ache in a mind inducing way. 

.........................

As the days kept flurrying by, Killer decided he _had_ to confront the other somehow. 

By the stars, he was honestly _terrified_.

.........................

Evening came rolling, and the two were chatting over dinner. This time, they were picking clean the skewered remains of a blue squid, served with a sour berry garnish from Hearts' garden. 

The purple mer was going on a tangent about an encounter he had with an adorable pod of narwhals.

His school was traveling along the lines of a distal coast, when a series of tell tale whistles and clicks echoed through the waters. 

A member of the school, dubbed 'Ludus' by Hearts, uttered a delighted squeal at their school's members and made a mad dash in a certain direction. 

The rest of the school followed with worrying calls of their own, and ended up finding the excited mer peeking over a outcrop of a tall standing reef. They quietly swam over to join their member, a few chastising the latter for scaring them. 

Upon discovering what had their fishmate all excited, soon all of them had to hold in ecstatic thrills of their own. 

Grazing among the grassy reef was a decently numbered pod of spotted narwhals. Their school spent the whole afternoon hanging out with the cute sea cetaceans. 

Hearts happily suggested to bring Killer to the site one day, perhaps a time after the land skeleton fully recovered. 

It was then Killer felt the need to ask the question. 

"Why are you taking care of me?"

.....

The question caused Hearts to pause on his retellings.

He looked up toward the skeleton who spoke, where the other was sitting with his legs dipped into the pool. 

Hearts noted that the other had their skull angled downwards, not meeting the merskeleton’s eyes while Killer’s corrupted soul swirled anxiously above the bandaged ribs. 

"Come again?" 

"You….could've dropped me off at the nearest coast and that's that. I can fend for myself." Killer told him. "There really isn't a reason for you to spend so much on me." 

Killer fidgeted with the zipper of his hoodie. "A guy could really appreciate not being kept in the dark, y'know?"

Hearts watched from his perch as Killer's grin took on a more somber tone.

"Is there something you want from me? Is that it?" Killer's gaze finally found Hearts' own.

"Why do you help me?" 

.....

Hearts' lidded sockets went wide, violet pips wordlessly meeting Killer's voided ones in a silent stare off.

The soothing plops of water from the surrounding flora heralded them, but it did nothing to calm Killer's nerves. 

.....

Then, Hearts plopped himself into the pool, languidly swimming over to Killer's front, purple tail rippling in the water.

Killer watched as the purple mer perched himself onto his femurs, freckled skull settling above crossed arms. 

He felt mana dripped down his skull as those purple orbits gazed at him with what appears to be adoration. 

"Why wouldn't I help you?" Hearts softly asked, his tail leisurely swaying behind him. 

Killer couldn't look away from the merskeleton's gaze, regarding him with such prized fondness.

The skeleton felt as though his metaphorical heart had stopped beating altogether. 

"B-because...." He stuttered dumbly. 

"Because, you didn't have to." Killer said. "You don't have any reason to put up with someone like me." 

"Someone like you?" 

"Yeah..." 

"What about you?" Hearts tenderly pressed. 

He fiddled with the drawstring on Killer's hoodie. The latter had always kept the apparel on ever since the day Hearts returned it to him. 

"I'm dangerous."

"And I am a predator, Killer dear." 

"I've killed hundreds."

"Killing isn't above me. The sea can be a cruel place." 

"I could kill you." 

"But you won't." 

.....

"How are you so sure?"

Hearts tilted his skull, smile ever so kind. 

"Because you haven't.”

_plip…....plop……_

“And I trust that you wouldn't."

.....

Halfway through the exchange, Killer's arms gradually found themselves curled loosely around the mer. 

The setting sun casted lovely hues of gold against Hearts' features, creating a gorgeous picture before Killer's view. 

"You don't know me." He told him, single eyelight aglow.

A hand found its way against Killer's cheekbone, cradling his flush riddled skull. He couldn't help but lean into it. 

"Is that a bad thing?" Questioned the mer. 

"....Isn’t it?"

"I don't think so." The sea dweller ever so slowly leaned his skull closer, orbits never once leaving Killer's gaze. 

"You don't know me either, Killer."

It wasn't until their frontals were a breath away from touching the other, that Hearts had spoken in the most ravishing tone Killer had the honor of hearing.

"But I would love to _know_ you." He whispered.

"If, you would like to know me too."

_plip......plop......._

Never had it been so quiet, that Killer could even hear the frantic humming of his misshapen soul. 

The sun had set in the horizon, painting the sky a heavenly blue, soon to be dotted by shimmering stars.

Killer met the merskeleton in a kiss, a silent answer drenched in tearful yearning. 

Their souls pulsed in sync, as they met in a passionate embrace through the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *splashes face with water* 
> 
> Jfc that was probably one of the fastest burn of my life lmao  
> And to be writing it, oh god ahkjkjhskanjk
> 
> ‘twas fun! :D
> 
> Hope you like it! 
> 
> Also, question  
> Would someone kissing a mer make one understand merspeak spoken from all merfolk? 
> 
> Or just that specific mer which they kissed? 
> 
> ......
> 
> .........Am asking for reasons 
> 
> _(:3 」∠)_


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killer ponders.  
> Hearts performs a magic show.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And at this point I’m just winging it my dudes  
> (￣∇￣)

  
Killer woke up underwater.

You figured this would've surprised him. 

Quite the opposite, frankly. 

Somehow, their last night's escapades had led to the both of them taking business down into Hearts' domain in the enclosure, beneath the pool. 

It was....a peculiar experience, in Killer's personal books. He had never had sex in the shower before, much less having any body of water encompassing his form while a merperson took his breath away. 

Crossed that off the bucket list, heh. 

The purple mer was a great kisser. Being half skeleton himself, Hearts knew of all the parts to touch, to expertly pry out pleasure filled gurgles from the skeleton. 

Though Killer had been rather surprised, the mer had made an effort to avoid his neck, keeping those wicked teeth of his away from the exposed vertebrae. 

Killer wasn’t sure if he was relieved or disappointed.

Though that didn't soil the rest of their love making, how wondrously divine it had been. 

He felt drained, the space within his skull heavy. Though, there was this lingering sense of fuzzy fulfillment in his soul, which Killer found to outweighed all the other inconveniences at the moment. 

Not to mention the presence pressed against the top of his skull. 

Killer sluggishly opened his sockets, and was met with a bare rib cage meeting his sockets. 

And that sight made his soul warm. 

He then turned his skull skywards and saw light. It appears the sun had risen till late morning. 

As the sunlight shone down in rippling beams, Killer realized he was curled up in a fetal position, a pair of arms keeping him close. 

Killer’s fluttering soul swirled between the two bodies in a peaceful luster, an upside down heart.

  
Hearts was lovingly spooning Killer on the pool's mossy bed, skull tugged over Killer's own. 

The way he was cradling his ward, now lover, was similar to that of a spool of loose thread, body haphazardly draped over the other. The length of his purple tail had twisted around Killer’s legs, encircling the skeleton close. 

The rays of morning sun danced across Hearts’ freckled skull, sockets laid shut in content. 

Killer couldn't find it in himself to look away.

As his sleep-addled mind began to clear up, the memories of last night's sinful endeavors came filling in the gaps of memory in his post pleasure haze. 

He slowly recalled every cry, every utterance of bliss, passionately pulled from either interlocking parties as they fell deeper into the throes of pleasure. Killer's crimson hue came flushing over his maxilla when he realized he had been laid by a fish. 

And he didn't mind it all that much. 

A part of Killer still didn't know why, why Hearts was so kind to him, so patient and willing. But he decided he wouldn't let that stop himself from seeing through whatever this is they started between themselves. 

Cradled by the merskeleton who snuggled closer around him, crooning lowly, Killer returned with an embrace of his own. His soul radiating hopeful assurance at his decision. 

  
  


.........................

  
  


Killer was fiddling with a summoned blade, sitting at the bottom of the pool. 

His magic was returning, so that’s a plus. The knives and constructs he managed to conjure had begun to regain their excellence, humming with strong lethal magic.

It also didn't hurt to walk anymore, he even managed to do a speedy jog! The cracks on his arms and legs were nearly non-existent from the day they first littered his limbs. 

Soon, Killer would have his shortcuts working at full capacity. And he could port himself to shore. 

But, that brings to mind the question of when he was going to part with Hearts.

  
On a few lucky nights, ones where he would have better dreams, the skeleton dreamt of going back to the castle, reuniting with the crew. 

Killer would later wake up with many prodding questions he needed to ask himself. 

Leaving the dark Sanses’ wasn’t an option, that was true. The band of misfits had gone through so much together, paddling through countless thick and thins with one another. 

Sure, him and the gang were evil. And they were labeled as the scum of the multiverse. 

But Nightmare and his team were important to Killer. 

They were _family_. 

He HAS to go back. 

A darker part of his mind wondered, would they even want him back? 

It had been months. They probably thought he was good as dead. 

Would he be missed? Were they mourning him? 

Killer felt the waves of guilt eating at his soul. 

Of course they would, you idiot! 

The whole gang were probably back at the castle, desperately wondering what had become of their teammate, and just where in the world was he? 

All the while he was here, contemplating whether or not, should he return. 

Of course he SHOULD! 

Which brought up the other subject of Killer's musings, Hearts. 

He, by no means, wished to drag the merskeleton into any of the chaos Nightmare's team had to put up with back at home. The life of a feared vagabond should never be put on Hearts’ shoulders. Killer wouldn’t allow it. 

Plus, he also didn't want to convince Hearts to leave his universe for his sake. 

Not that he reckoned the other would agree anyway. The merskeleton was a healer, well known among the merfolk around these lands, as Hearts had previously implied. 

Killer had enough dignity and respect to quickly stop that train of thought before it further escalates. 

And he had no doubt that Hearts would have well figured out by now that he wasn't a being of this world, that he came from somewhere afar. Which was true. 

And the mer would likely know that Killer had a place to return to, a home where he belonged. He wondered if the mer had already prepared himself for the inevitable parting they were going to cross. 

Would Hearts feel sad too? 

A selfish part in Killer wanted Hearts to feel so, to miss him. 

But Killer tried to rationalize himself. Just because they were from different universes, it didn't mean they have to end whatever it is the two have between themselves. 

Their relationship could be a long distance affair. And in this case, having the space of many universes in the distance between them. 

They could make it work. 

But, he couldn't help but feel sad at the thought of being away from Hearts. 

The sight of those alluring eyelights, the smooth timbre of Hearts’ voice as he giggled and laughed. Just thinking about being away from Hearts’ presence for more than a day made Killer so very unsettled.

Maybe, when Killer got back home, he could reason out a sort of vacation period from Nightmare, without any member of the team being none the wiser. 

.....

Killer let out a frustrated groan, resurfacing out of the pool. 

By creators, he was such a _mess_.

  
  


..........................

  
  


It was raining today, the pitter patter of rainfall thundered against the crystal roof. 

Hearts had left the enclosure right after breakfast, saying he was joining an outing again with his school.

They were visiting a member who was expecting soon, and he volunteered to be a midwife. Hearts had left with an excited smile and a kiss to Killer’s temple. 

But the merskeleton hadn’t returned since. 

It was past lunchtime when it started to rain, and the enclosure’s bell has yet to ring. 

Hearts never failed to bring his ward every meal of the day, and it had come dinner time with no sight of the familiar purple of the healer’s tail from the entrance.

Hearts not bringing his latest catch in wasn’t what worried Killer in the slightest. There were tons of edible fruits and greens here in the enclosure, it wasn’t as if he would go hungry. 

No, he was worried about Hearts. 

The storm didn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon, if the flashes of lighting were anything to go by. Thus, Killer was left fretting over the well-being of his mermate. 

Was Hearts okay out there? 

Was he safe? 

When will he return? 

Did something happen to him?! 

Honestly, Killer was ready to swim out of the enclosure to venture into the deep blue right then and there, before the long awaited jingle rang out in the enclosure.

_Oh thank the stars......_

Killer felt himself let out a sigh of relief, his mana quieting down. He prepared himself to welcome the merskeleton with a strong embrace and a question as to what held him up. 

The bell rang again. Followed by a third jingle.

_Wait wha-_

And then a fourth. 

…..

Okay. That was weird. 

Hearts’ arrival had always only made it rang once. The merskeleton explained to Killer it was a mechanism he installed to hear upcoming clients who sought his assistance at his abode.

It sensed magic signatures unique to every merfolk, ringing once per mer to alert Hearts of their arrival in advance. 

The bell had rung _four_ times. 

Four different mers. 

Three times too many than usual. 

Killer instantly stood up and back away from the pool’s edge, imaginary hackles rising behind his neck. He summoned a sleek red knife to his hand, keeping it behind his back just as a form swam through the entrance to the enclosure. 

It wasn’t purple. 

And it was huge. 

There was a worrying streak of red trailing behind it. 

The long shadowed form of the visitor broke the surface of the water, water rippling down their form as they arose upwards. 

Killer’s voids met with those of a single, golden eyelight, with thin lines of cracks marring the unfamiliar mer’s sockets. One line going up and the other going down. 

A gaster sans. 

He didn’t look friendly, not one bit.

And he wasn’t alone. 

Killer’s gaze trailed down to the little bundle held in the mer’s arms. It was another skeleton mer, Killer noticed, who sported a bright blue tail and cotton candy fins. 

And they were bleeding.

The amber hued gaster sans caught Killer’s attention trailing to the one cradled within his hold and snarled viciously in warning.

Among the warbling cacophony, Killer caught something along the lines of _LAND WALKER! DANGER KEEPAWAY STRANGER NOSTARE!_

Ah right, the kiss to merspeak. 

Killer quickly dispelled the knife in his hand, hands raised in a placating manner. He slowly backed up towards the wall and sat down, hands held up to where the other could see them. 

The other merskeleton was broken out of his frenzy when a face full of water splashed onto his skull. 

Resurging forward was the growling visage of Hearts himself, getting between Killer and the amber colored mer. 

Movement elsewhere caught Killer’s eye. He glanced towards the side to see yet another skeleton mer surfacing, this one harboring periwinkle pips within indigo rimmed sockets.

They briefly caught Killer’s gaze, sockets narrowing in thought. 

Back to the two merskeletons engaging in a standoff, it was the taller who yielded first, hunkering down slightly in the pool. Hearts in return turn to look at Killer, a rare determined look on his skull. 

“I need the light blue berries from the far left and my twine satchel, bring them to me please.”

Killer didn’t waste another second at that, quickly jogging over to the low berry bush planted in the soil, plucking a few. 

The satchel Hearts wanted was kept by the wall where Killer slept, the cave he now resided in was formerly treated as a storage space of sorts. 

When he got back to Hearts, the other had cleared a space for the injured mer on the outcrop. Up close, Killer could see the severity of the smaller’s injury. 

A whole chunk of the other’s tail was missing, the cyan flesh mauled clean off. The edges of the wound were jagged, ripping deep, suggesting that the culprit of the bite wasn’t intent on letting go. 

Hearts had pulled himself up to sit on the stone, facing the brunt of the injury. He reached towards his satchel without looking up at Killer when the other got close, to which the latter wordlessly handed it over. 

From within it, Hearts took out a wad of dry fluffy sheets, rumpled and thick, and quickly pressed it against the blue mer’s wound.

Reaching into the satchel once more, the mer brought out strands of colored fabric, similar to mummy wrappings, and bundled up the injured one’s tail with it. 

He then let out a sharp call, prompting the other two onlooking mermonsters to come closer. 

Hearts scooted away to make space for the smaller of the two to climb up, the amber one settling on the opposite side. The medic then went to hold the blue mer’s hand, asking the one beside him for theirs, interlocking the two’s fingers. 

He let go of the two and gestured for the taller mer to do the same with the other respective carpal. 

Killer settled to watch from a safe distance away, not wanting to get between the arrangement. He saw Hearts instructing the two to hold the patient’s hand to their chests, keeping them there while he ate the berries he requested for Killer to fetch over.

The purple mer then held the blue one's skull in his hands, delivering a chaste kiss onto the unconscious one’s nasal bone. 

And then, Hearts began to _sing._

A smooth, wordless melody, so sweet and soft in its own right, came flowing from Heart’s teeth. Killer felt as though the goddess of life herself had fallen to her knees and enveloped him in a loving embrace.

It was the most beautiful thing he ever heard. 

After a moment, Killer observed as strange runes appeared on the fabric strands, glowing a bright cyan.

The other two merskeletons kept a comforting hold on the blue mer’s hands, where their chests also began to glow their respective colors. 

If one were to take a closer look, they would see a faint stream of magic flowing from the two towards the blue one’s soul. 

Killer was left breathless where he sat. He stayed quiet, afraid uttering a single word would break apart the ongoing spectacle. 

Slowly winding down, Hearts’ song came to an end.

It was deadly quiet, save for the sound of rainfall above them. 

.....

Soft rustling made all three mers and one skeleton perked up, the first three looking down at the smaller one with hope. 

A tiny, weak quaver came from the blue merskeleton. 

The two other merfolk started crying, peering closer at their love. Held in their grasps, the blue mer’s hands gave gentle squeezes back, their caudal fin weakly fluttering. 

Hearts retreated away to give the trio some privacy. He dropped into the pool and quietly swam over to where Killer was seated at, flopping his upper body atop of the skeleton’s femurs. 

He was smiling, but those dark circles below the medic’s eye didn’t lie. Killer wrapped his arms around Hearts’ shoulders, hoping to offer comfort to the mer.

.....

He wondered. Had Hearts done the same upon finding Killer’s mutilated body from the depths?   
  
Had he sang for Killer?

  
.....

The day ended with five tired souls sleeping through the night. 

Three curled up underwater, and the last two leaning against one another near the pool’s shallows.   
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mmmmmmmmmagic......!
> 
> Watch me throw these rarepairs at u, huzzah! 
> 
> Also, the reason why I want a bell in the enclosure is for this scene wholly lmao XD 
> 
> Believe it or, this chapter’s last bit went thru 3 different renditions  
> The first having the mentioned pregnant mer being the one injured, almost losing the baby
> 
> And I don’t have the heart to write that kinda heart wrenching scene yet my dudes alsjsjissjxjnxxk


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killer meets some fishes  
> And Hearts has to remind him of some important things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rookie smut at the second half! The time has come my brethren!

It turns out, Hearts was a very powerful healer.

Not just powerful, he might've even stood on par with the multiverse's strongest healers. 

Namely Dream, an odd Sci, and Rejuvance, the main Reapertale's Goddess of Life.

Upon unraveling the layers of bloodied sheets, the smaller mer’s tail was fully restored, albeit the healed over ecto had looked a little off-coloured. But the blue mermonster was feeling new as day by the time the others woke up.

By morning, the blue mer was already up and running, or rather, swimming. The pink spotted mer zipped around with exuberance, interacting with the parties in the enclosure, including the plants.

The first thing the other did was honed in on Killer's proximity, excitedly taking in the new addition in Hearts' enclosure.

Curiously chirping at the land skeleton presence, a few odd pokes were directed at Killer's femur and toes. Killer received waves of puzzling intent from him, bouts of _HELLO FRIEND HAPPYMEET WALKER STRANGETAIL HOWSWIM_?

As it turned out, the little mer was a swap sans variant. Killer wasn't sure about the periwinkle mer of similar stature, but he'd place bets on the latter being either a variant of the many swapfells universes. 

Hearts had happily introduced them to Killer, and vice versa. 

The swap sans mer, Ludus, had all but struck a pose and let out excited chitters, introducing himself to Killer in a true Swap Sans' fashion. It was as if he wasn't on the brink of death the very night before.

Then again, swap sans variants were known to rebound twice as fast than the average monster. 

Killer didn't have the heart to tell him that he couldn't hear his entire speech without kissing him first, which is something he really didn't want to do in front of the two onlooking parties.

The gaster sans mer, Ale, came forward and curtly apologized to Killer, for snarling yesterday. But in actuality it had taken Hearts himself fin slapping the amber mer for disrespecting his mate in the medic’s own domain, and pointed a taloned finger at Killer for Ale to do so. 

Killer would be lying if he said he wasn't just a _teensy_ bit smug for Hearts getting territorial for his sake.

The fellswap mer, referred to as Ridge, was instead rather quiet. He preferred to hang back and watched in content as the others made talk before him. 

It was honestly pretty laid back for a swapfell sans' antics. Though one unfamiliar with the indigo mer would've missed the calculating eye he kept on his mates, subtly keeping them in sight. 

And, was that a thumbs up he threw at Hearts' way? _What was that for?!_

During their stay, the three had made it clear they were mates with one another, tired bodies curled intimately over each other last night. The way they hold on to one another, those subtle pecks against skulls and brushes between fins.

It didn't take a genius to figure out their relationship. 

If it weren't for spending the night in the medic's enclosure with an audience watching(part of Killer suspected it was only because HE was here), Killer knew they wouldn't have settled with merely snuggling in a ball for the night.

Which, by all means, he would have done the same with Hearts. 

Speaking of last night, the purple mer had softly relayed the reason behind his abrupt absence, resting against Killer's shoulder in the pool. 

Hearts explained that the school hadn't accounted for the sudden storm last night. Shortly after bidding goodbye to their expecting member’s abode, a wave of displaced current hit them. A raging storm had started above the surface, churning the water's current and waves.

Wanting to wait out the storm overhead, the rest of them had been forced to seek temporary shelter at a cave riddled reef on the way back. 

Which was a huge mistake. 

The churning storm must've covered up the underlying scent from a school of barracuda mers nearby.

The school which resided there didn't take well to the arrival of wayward merfolk, traipsing into their territory. And it had just been their luck that it was the hunting hour. 

In the end, Hearts and the others barely made it out unscathed, while the blue merskeleton had taken the worst hit.

The school bid hasty goodbyes to one another before parting ways. Hearts and Ludus' mates braved the rolling currents and rushed their blue toned friend back to Hearts' as fast as they could. A minute too late would have cost a life in their school.

Thankfully, their efforts weren't in vain. 

But, such was the life in the ocean, Hearts had said, a forlorn look on his facade. It made Killer want to hold him close and shower him with affection.

Which also made their impending parting all the more harder. 

  
  


...........................

  
  


"I'm going to miss you." 

Hearts perked up from his place on Killer's chest, the two had been relaxing on the outcrop, the former's tail dipped in the shallows. He watched as his beloved one slowly got up, sockets looking sad. 

"I don't want to leave you." Killer said, soul humming in regret. He started to cry. 

Hearts managed a smile, one similar to that of a person witnessing a happy ending coming to a close. The merskeleton got on his elbows, and clanked his teeth sweetly against Killer's own. 

"It's okay, love." He said. "I understand." 

"I know." Killer feebly answered. A streak of black rolled down his socket. 

"And I hate you so much." The skeleton gave a hopeless grin. "What you're doing to me." 

Hearts huffed mirthfully at that, dreamy purple orbits lidded behind his sockets. Killer leaned his frontal against him, weeping sockets taking in Hearts' lovely features.

"I'm going to miss you so, so much."

"I'm going to miss you too." Hearts raised a thumb to wipe away Killer's streaks, touch ever so tender. 

"Why don't you tell me about your home, Killer dear?" 

Killer thought about that. He didn't want to disclose too much about his life back home, mostly to keep Hearts out of the bleaker parts of it as much as possible. He wasn't ready for that yet. 

So he settled for a half truth. 

"I'm sorta a....runaway outlaw of sorts." That was partly true. "I live with my team, and we work under our boss, who sends us out to do missions for him." 

"Oooh~" Hearts crooned with a tease, snuggling closer to Killer. "I didn't know I was dating a wanted criminal, what scandal."

"Hey, you gotta accept the whole package, doll." Killer chuckled. "It's a take it or leave it kinda deal, you get?"

"Mmm....I suppose I have no choice but to take you up on that offer then~" Hearts then peeped up at Killer.

"Tell me more." 

"Well....all of us sorta made base and crashed at the boss' place, it's a very gaudy castle." Killer snickered. "The boss said he wouldn't settle for anything less, they guy has a flair for extravagance, I’ll say." 

"What is a castle?" 

"Oh uh....it's like a house, but a shit ton bigger." 

"Ah."

"And the gang and I....just sorta look after one another, y'know? We don’t say it out loud, but we care."

Killer gave a small smile thinking about it. He wouldn't know where he'd be if he didn't become a part of Nightmare's estranged little entourage.

"Heh....but it gets crazy sometimes." 

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Killer fondly thought back to the gang's many shenanigans in the past. "One time we were celebrating a successful raid, threw a little party and got shitfaced drunk." 

On that evening, Cross and Dust had gotten ridiculously competitive against each other in their drunken stupor. They dared that the other couldn't find the fastest route down to the castle's backyard. 

Dust decided that the fastest way to do so was to hightail straight out of a seven floor window and swan dive into the desired location. The other monochrome skeleton was happy to oblige in tow. 

Horror and Killer, wholly shitfaced themselves, thought nothing wrong of the sort and decided to play referee for the two instead of doing the obvious choice to stop them. 

"Heh....our boss had to make sure our windows were double locked the next time we decided to go to town with the drinks in the fridge." 

Hearts made a thoughtful noise. "What does.....the phrase 'drunk' and fridge imply?"

.....

Ah shit. It never crossed Killer's mind that Hearts, a mermonster who lives in the deep their whole life, wouldn't know what an actual fridge is.

And mermonsters don’t get drunk apparently? Huh. Interesting. 

It made Killer think about what has been bugging him for quite some time now. 

"Would you....like to come visit sometime?"

.....

Hearts raised his freckled skull and stared at the other in interest, as if he's wondering if he should break the news to his boyfriend of the elephant in the room.

"Pardon?"

"I can bring you to my place and show you around! It'll just be like a short visit, nothing more." Killer suggested.

"And....you get to meet the team, and.....oh yeah! We have this grand pool just installed outside in the open balcony!" 

"That is a tempting offer but...." Hearts tilted his head in question. "Killer sweets, I am rather lacking an obvious part of something that you have."

"Yeah but....I'll figure something out." Killer's voice got softer towards the end. 

"I just...realize that I never really get to thank you, for saving me and all...." Killer said into the fluff of his hood. "And I wanted to do something nice for you, in return." 

"I wanna spend more time with you, Hearts. I don't want what we have to end." 

The weeping skeleton turned back to the mer with a sad, hopeful gaze. 

"I don't want this to be how we say goodbye. I want to see you again, all the time." Killer closed his sockets, more black streaks rippling down. 

"But I'm not sure if I ever will. What if we can't, Hearts?" The words just kept tumbling out of Killer's teeth, all those unspoken disquiet assumptions over the past few days hitting him all at once. 

"I can't wait to go home, but I can't make you leave yours as well, you're needed here. And I'm scared that we wouldn't work out that way."

Killer laid his head back in exhaustion, skull facing the crystal roof of the enclosure. "Or maybe you already know this, and didn't wanna be with me anymore..."

"I w-want to try Hearts." Killer shakily said. "I want to try seeing this through, seeing _us_ through. With you." 

No one said anything for a moment, before an endearing giggle came rolling out of Hearts. Killer felt his cheek lovingly kissed, and opened his sockets to the sight of Hearts trailing small kisses down his jaw. 

"Strange, silly land walker...." Hearts muttered darkly in between kisses.

Killer shuddered as a brief tease of fangs ghosted across his neck, suppressing a moan when Hearts mouthed on a particular spot. 

"What makes you think I'd ever want this to end?" Taloned finger tips glided over Killer's spine, teasing the better part of his bottommost ribs. 

"A-Aah!"

"Have I not made myself clear from the beginning, my precious Killer?" Killer weakly grunted at a cheeky squeeze on his lumbar.

"That night as I made you yelled my name in bliss, while I had you balls deep within my flesh?" 

"H-hearts...hnng~" Killer let out a moan at a harsher nip at his neck. 

"I want you, Killer. I want all of you." Hearts’ other hand came to circle around Killer's waistband, phalanges sliding over the top of his ileum plate, making him let out short pants of breath. 

"The distance between us wouldn't matter, I'm willing to wait however long for you, Killer my dear."

Killer blearily felt his skull being lifted up, the touch at his pelvis descending lower towards the crimson glow in his shorts. Hearts' eyelights, now purple slits, hungrily watched him come undone. 

"I trust you, my mate. Please don't feel as though you're anything more that would stop me from doing so."

Through his haze, he felt a familiar tongue swiping at his teeth, asking permission. And with a low moan, he allowed it entry. 

Killer whined as the other's tongue tangled against his own, feeling it prod against his throat as it explored the walls of his mouth. His single eyelight, alight from the influx of sexual intent, flickered when Hearts's phalanges found what they were looking for, rubbing at the unformed magic. 

When they parted, Killer groaned aloud as Hearts continued trailing his vertebrae with opened mouth kisses. A harsher flick on his ribs made his toes curled from their position next to Hearts’ tail. 

"We'll figure it out, my mate." Hearts licked his teeth as his voice dropped to a whole other octave. 

"But tonight, I'll make sure to remind you thoroughly n that matter."

Killer hitched a groan at that dark, sinful tone. The merskeleton's fingers teased and prodded at the wad of magic situated within his pelvis, expertly molding the glob into its desired shape with a sharp squeeze. 

"AAH~! Mnnnngh....H-Hearts-!!" Killer cried out when he felt his magic formed into a crimson cock, weeping precum at the silt while it throbbed in Hearts' grasp. 

His carpals scrambled to hold Hearts' back, fingers curling into the purple mer's ribs while his legs started to curl over the expanse of Hearts' tail, trying to get a hold of something to grip on. 

The former felt as though he was being enveloped in a swirl of heated desire, hands of molten fire dragging him down. It made him desperately cling onto his lover's form as he panted erratically.

"P-puh-AH! Pleaseee....hAH—Hearts! AAahnn...!!" Killer pleaded through heated breaths when the other began to stroke his shaft, a finger teasing the silt at his tip.

He let out a moan when his cock went to press against the soaking lips of the mermonster's nether regions, the other gridding down onto his pulsing cock. 

"Ohh....Killer!" Hearts cried out. "You feel so wonderful...ah...." 

The purple mer raised himself on his arms and gave Killer a shark's grin, brandishing his sharpest fangs in lustful want. 

"I love you, Killer." Said skeleton keened aloud, the tip of his cock breaching the mouth of Hearts' soaking lips. 

"And nothing would ever change that, okay?" Hearts whispered, dropping down to sheathe the entirety of the crimson organ into his quivering walls. 

Killer saw white exploded behind his sockets, back arching up in a pleasure filled scream. He came inside the wet cavern, cum leaking out through the edges of Hearts' lips. 

He didn't get a chance for reprieve before the other raised their hips, and thrusted down in one quick motion, ruthlessly enveloping Killer's cock within the walls of his pussy. 

"AAH! Hahh-aH! YES~!" Killer curled his arms around Hearts' neck, bringing the other down for a kiss. He began thrusting his hips upwards, meeting Hearts' movement as the other rode his cock with fervor. 

Hearts snarled in feral reply, pleased growls rumbling out, the vibrations meeting against Killer's ribs. 

"Hearts~!!! HnnGHHhnnn~ Please!! I-I'm...getting clooo-ose.... hah....HEARTS!"

He screamed in tandem when Hearts' pussy gave a delightful squeeze onto his dick. The knot of pleasure riding higher and higher in Killer’s core, pushing him closer to tip over the edge. 

"HaaaAAAHH—C-CummINGGG~!! AhHH—MMph-!"

Hearts pulled Killer into another mind blowing kiss, eagerly swallowing up his mate's desperate cries down his throat. He rose up one more time, feeling the slow drag of the other's cock rubbing against his insides.

Oh by the mother seas, it felt so fucking good! 

With a final roar of his own, he plowed down hard and came around his lover’s leaking sex, inner walls milking Killer for all his worth.

Hearts' let out puffs of air between his fangs, grinning with such love and want down at his mate. Killer had his sockets barely opened, skull flushed a heady red as he panted in the afterglow. 

Slowly lowering himself down, Hearts placed a kiss onto Killer's frontal bone, causing his lover to happily hum. Killer in return pulled Hearts down closer, breathing in his salty scent, weakly prompting the mer to lay down beside his bandaged ribs.  
  


As the two slowly drifted off to a much deserved nap, one thing was certain. 

They'll figure this out together.

One way, or another.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried _(:3 」∠)_
> 
> Killer: *worries*
> 
> Hearts: bOI, cease this nonsense I luv u, u goober 
> 
> The boi Ridge sends his blessings XD
> 
> Also, the reason Hearts didn’t fully heal Killer with his magic song ritual, was because he needs another one or two souls that is willing to supply soul essence for the healing to take place  
> And the purple boi that time was wary of his catch 
> 
> By the time Hearts felt something for Killer, the latter’s wounds had already settled for healing on their own, his magic then would only disrupt Killer’s natural mana flow  
> It’d get messy :P  
> Nightmare built that pool for himself specifically, it soothes his tentacles every now and then 
> 
> I wanna mention that Hearts’ school consist of lust variants of the bois  
> So, yeah, they’re a group of smexy fishes >:3  
> But respectable smexy fishes aye
> 
> Now if you’ll excuse me, imma yeet myself into the flaming dumpster over there


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killer makes a promise, and goes home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There should be an epilogue after this and a special bit for y’all

  
Hearts' enclosure was very, very far away from the cliff where Killer fell. 

It could be a whole hundred miles away for all he knew. Hearts had rescued him and dragged Killer to god knows where, probably a whole different beach altogether, he reckoned. 

Maybe that was why the others never found him. 

As he clung onto Hearts' shoulders, Killer wondered how far Nightmare and the rest had scoured the surrounding waters after that day, only to come back empty handed with no sign of his soul or body. Just thinking about it made him want to get back to them all the more sooner.

This morning when Hearts unraveled his bandages, his chest was all healed up. The mana strings had dissolved once the ribs fully reattached themselves and mended thoroughly together, a product of Hearts' medical prowess. 

And that was the moment both of them realized, it was time to part ways. 

With all his magic and injuries absolved, Killer could finally return home. He could finally see the others again, months of anticipation and worry from both sides would come to an end at last.

.....

It.....also meant that he was going to leave Hearts. 

But it wasn't forever, both sides had promised to visit each other from time to time, with Hearts holding onto Killer's offer for a tour of the team's base in future. An arrangement of sorts was in order, a constant food for thought in Killer's head. 

No matter how many times the purple mer reassured him that it was okay, the lovesick fool remained forlorn at the prospect of leaving.

He made sure to have one last heated farewell with Hearts' before stepping out of the enclosure, holding onto Hearts as the mer swam out with Killer in tow. Although, this wasn't the first time Killer had the pleasure of seeing the outside of the enclosure.

.....

A few occasions before, after Hearts' deemed most of his wounds fit enough to endure a few moments sea water, Killer went to explore the exterior of where the greenhouse was built. And it was an exquisite sight.

Hearts' enclosure was situated amongst a formation of tall sea stacks, off coast to a nearby shore. It complied of a medium size island with freestanding stones, rising out from the shoreface with its base submerged underwater. 

Though the real beauty of it was that a few selected stones were tipped with gleaming crowns of crystals. 

It was much like the top of Hearts' enclosure, but some carried more rigged edges instead, while others had clusters entirely covering the top of the rising stones. Killer thought they were reminiscent of the toppings of a frosted pastry Horror made at home, with protruding chocolate biscuits on top. 

Nonetheless, each and every one were pretty in their own right, reflecting the afternoon sun in rainbow beams. 

That day, Killer had ventured around under the company of Hearts, who at first didn't trust his ward well enough to leave him unattended. One wrong slip off a slippery edge could bring a nasty encounter with the hard stone bed below the deeper parts of the shoreface. 

While Killer warily bounded across the stones, Hearts kept hovering nearby, ready to dive in and rescue his mate should the former ever fall. 

It soon became part of Killer's routine to go stone hopping outside the greenhouse. He took it as an exercise of sorts, training his motor muscles back from months of disuse.

The first few times he had Hearts on the side overlooking, a couple of close calls earning bouts of Hearts' livid squawking nearby. 

All the while, Hearts was fretting, greatly. But he understood Killer's wish to partake himself in such dangerous activities. 

He figured the other wanted a breath of fresh air from being confined so long indoors, and wanted to stretch his walkers for a bit on a fresh new open terrain. It can get quite constricting from being cooped up in the same place for more than a few weeks after all. 

But by the mother ocean had he felt every jolt of fear when the land walker made a daring hop from one islet to next, each time haunted by a vision of the other slipping and crashing into the waters below. 

It had taken a couple of weeks before Hearts was confident Killer could handle on his own. 

.....

Though that was a whole two months ago, and now, Killer bid the greenhouse farewell before securing himself on Hearts' back for a ride back to shore. Hoping it wasn’t the last time he would get to visit this place. 

Tail pushing through the currents, the purple mer swam at a reasonable pace, swift but not enough to disorient his passenger.

Strapping onto Killer's back, was a familiar bundle of clothes. Hearts had asked Killer to take off everything besides his trousers for him to rewrap them in waterproof flubber for the journey, not wanting Killer to go onto land clothed in soggy garments. 

One heated session from Hearts unclothing Killer later, the pair set off into the deep blue. 

Along the way, the two passed by reefs and seabed of all kinds, with an occasional merfolk greeting Hearts' as they swam by.

Some had given the merskeleton questionable clicks with a knowing look, to which the medic replied with a gleeful chitter of his own, much to Killer's fluster. 

A few times along the journey, Hearts would stop for a break or two. Killer would watch as the mer hunt the surrounding fishes, lending a knife or two in assistance.

He tried not to think about how much closer he was to parting with the other as Hearts shared his catches for a meal.

..........................

When the sky was painted golden with hues of the evening sun, the water began to get shallower. Hearts was closing to shore, and a familiar one at that. 

Killer held Hearts' shoulders a tad tighter when the mer turned to dock at a stone outcrop near the side by the shore.

After Hearts picked a suitable stone to perch at, he allowed Killer to get off, the two seated themselves on the stone. The latter's soul was swirling with anticipation, along with sadness and longing. He was going to go home.

The two enjoyed a moment side by side, watching as the sun made its descent into the horizon. Killer jumped when he felt Hearts' skull plopped onto his shoulder, body slumped with exhaustion from the long swim. 

"Are you okay?!" Killer turned to check on his mate, seeing the purple mer's lidded sockets looking towards the sunset.

"I'll be alright." Hearts huffily replied. "I just....wanted to be close to you for a moment." 

"Okay..." 

The sound of rippling tides crashed against the shore behind them, waves ceaseless in their motion. Killer turned to give a kiss against Hearts' zygomatic, hand encircling around the mer's waist. 

He received a happy hum from the mermonster, the latter tucking his skull into the crook of Killer's neck.

......

"Thank you, " Killer uttered. "For everything."

Hearts crooned lowly, his taloned hand coming to cup Killer's temporal to bring him down for a kiss. A chaste seal to their farewell. 

The medic then looked up at Killer with teasing purple orbits, smoldering behind his tired gaze. 

"I shall hold onto your offer, yes?" Hearts quietly asked, even though he already knew the answer. 

Killer brought a hand up to hold Hearts' carpals against his skull, nodding in silent promise into the caress. Voided sockets taking in Hearts' adoring visage, trying to ingrain every detail of the merskeleton features into his memory. 

"Wait for me." Killer whispered, his soul flickering between a target and a heart.

"That I shall, Killer my dear." Another peck to the skull. 

"I love you."

"I love you too."  
  


And the two connected in a final embrace, one of them leaking rivulets of black while the other clicked comfortingly to dry those tears. 

  
  


..............................

  
  


Hearts left just as the sun dipped into the horizon, cyan fins flapping in farewell in a looping splash into the sea. 

Killer watched as Hearts' form swam further and further away. It wasn't until he couldn't see the flicker of a purple tail no more, did the skeleton start his march back up to shore. 

.....

After putting his clothes back of course. 

.........................

  
  


It took a while, but Killer managed to find the spot he was looking for. 

He remembered that particular battle with the Stars had taken place in a clearing within the woods, near the edges of a towering sea cliff. It had taken an hour of navigating the surrounding trees for a view of the correct cliff, searching for the remnants of battle from that fateful day, if there were any. 

Alas, a random trail of dirt led him up to a clearing of fallen trees, the rocks around the area decorated with significant markings belonging to an array of magic weapons, those of the stabbing and chopping sort and so on. 

If Killer concentrated, he could feel the feeble traces of positivity and its opposite lingering behind. Although the latter energy had felt a tinge bit more potent than its brighter cousin. 

It meant that Nightmare had returned to this clearing before. 

Upon closer inspection, he even saw trails of footprints littering the area, some of them just days old from his personal deduction. A few pairs were accompanied by long divots that threaded into the soil, created by having a person dragging multiple slender objects behind them while walking.

The boss and the crew had recently been looking for him. 

Up until now, they really had yet to stop looking for their missing teammate, searching for his whereabouts over and over again throughout this universe. Killer felt his soul warmed at the thought. 

_They're still looking for me._

He went to take a seat on a fallen log, just basking in the surrounding wood life.

The moon was full tonight, a ball of milky silver illuminating the forest. It reminded Killer of the pearly whites of Heart’s bones. _Godammit...._

Killer looked away from it, closing his sockets, and waited. 

He thought about all the things he wanted to do once he get back to the castle, to his home. He pictured the faces of his team, trying to make his thoughts as loud as possible. 

He thought about Cross’ dichromate orbits always looking so cold, but still held brotherly warmth to them. How Horror’s cooking is the best out of all the team, the backstage care bear of the gang behind the brutal mask of a predator. 

He thought about Dust’s tendencies to play the aloof assassin. But during times when it’s safe and cozy, the team would find him hanging around the room where the rest were residing, offering the others his quiet presence while his teammates subtly try to include him in one of their game and movie nights.

And then, Killer thought about Nightmare, his boss and leader of their misfit crew. How the guardian found him when he was at his lowest, how he brought Killer’s LV ridden soul from the brink of self destruction. He though abo—

“You’re alive...”

.....

Footsteps sounded from behind him, heavy sneakers dripping in ooze that he came to know so much crushed the grass beneath its soles.

An uncertain, but happy grin made itself known onto Killer’s mandible, black tears rolling down his cheeks. 

His scraggly sneakers, worn from water exposure so long ago, scraped against the log as Killer straightened up and turned around, voided sockets gazing into one of the Lord of Nightmares’ teal pupil. 

The oozing guardian stared at him with a mix of shock, disbelief, and solace altogether. 

“Heya boss,” Killer voice was strained, filled with so much fear and joy from seeing Nightmare’s appearance from answering his call, standing right before him under the moonlight. 

One of Nightmare’s tentacles came over, hesitant in its touch, and nudged Killer’s hoodie sleeve on his shoulder, before pressing itself firmer a few times onto the fabric. As if it was trying to make sure what Nightmare seeing was real and not a figment of the dark King’s imagination. 

In a whoosh of failing tentacles, Killer found himself hugged snuggly within Nightmare’s grasp, tentacles and all. The guardian’s hand cupped Killer’s skull closely into his chest, the negativity clinging but not staining his subordinate’s clothes. 

“You’re really here....” Nightmare muttered into Killer’s acoustic meatus. His clawed phalanges cradled Killer’s skull with such reverence, as if Killer would disappear should he let go. 

“By the Creators….you’re _real_.” The guardian exclaimed. “You’re alive.”

“I’m back, boss.” The dark lord’s underling revelled within the other’s hold, an overwhelming feeling of home made his soul hummed in a warm glow. 

“I’m finally back.” He started to cry. 

“Where the hell have you been?” Nightmare said, pulling back to look at his former missing member of his crew. He looked so tired, with grooves marring the dark ooze under his lone eye. 

“We were looking everywhere for you.” 

Killer felt more tears trickled down from hearing that. God, they really had been looking for him. 

“H-heh.....It’s a long story.” He shakily chuckled, moonlight glistening on his ebony streaks. 

“But I’m back.” Killer said. 

“And I’m home.” 

The lord of Nightmares loosened his hold around the hoodie clad skeleton, but kept a reassuring hold on Killer’s shoulders. 

“You’re home.” The dark guardian said, gleaming teeth flashing one of its rare, genuine smiles.

“And you have no idea _how_ fucking mad and happy we are that you’re here.” 

The sound of a portal ripping into existence came from behind Nightmare, to which the negativity guardian evaded to the side for. 

In a span of a few seconds, Killer once again found himself embraced from all sides, bodies clad in the familiar colors his teammates usually wore filled his peripheral.

A chorus of “KILLER!” and “OH MY FUCKING STARS” ringing out in the woods. 

  
  


He was home. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The boi is BACC  
> HUGFEST BABEYYYYY
> 
> The bit where Killer explores outside happens between chapter 4 and 5  
> I didn’t know where to put that part and explain that yes, Killer has been outside the greenhouse before  
> And no, he wouldn’t stay cooped up with the first chance of fresh scenery he gets, the boi is BORED 
> 
> Hearts understands, but he’s CONCERN 
> 
> There’s a headcannon I’ve came across, where Nightmare and Dream recognizes certain familiar bouts of emotion from specific people they know 
> 
> A mental FIND MY PHONE gig if u will lmao


	8. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ;3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m a little late XD

  
Bare skeletal feet trotted along the golden beach, leaving footprints in the sand. The steps were walking at a leisure pace, but hidden beneath them was an anticipating desire to see the one they love.

It was a lovely mid morning day, with a light breeze blowing in the air. Killer closed his sockets upon feeling the cool draft meeting his face. The smell of the sea tickled his nasal aperture, bringing back memories of an endearing smile and purple orbits.

Of which he couldn't wait to see again.

It seemed as though it was only yesterday when he came plundering into the watery depths, thinking that the end of the line for him, before getting rescued by a mermonster of all things.

If someone were to tell Killer that he'll find himself falling for a merman at death's door, he'd thought he might've actually regained a tinge of his sanity for hearing someone else uttering such ludicrous things.

That was a whole couple of months ago, nearly a quarter to a full year. And now, a little longer than two months later after he returned home, Killer finally got the time to honor his promise on paying his scaly significant other a visit.

With Nightmare's help, the guardian of negativity opened a portal to the universe Killer wanted to go, dispatching him at the shore of the very same beach ways off from the woods where the band of outcodes reunited months before.

Nightmare dropped off the aforementioned skeleton in question, parting with a stern look on his face, akin to a worried mother hen angrily fretting over a gangly child of hers. He merely requested Killer to give him a call should he ever want to get back to the base, hence either himself or Cross would come and get him.

Being the absolute lord of negativity, Nightmare had tried to make his hovering subtle, but the dark lord had this screwed, endearing tendency to fuss over his lackeys if he was feeling up to it.

He wouldn't admit it was because he cared, but rather that emotional hiccups experienced amongst his recruits would be a huge inconvenience to mission morale. Luckily for the lord of nightmares, the team of misfits took this in a mutually accepted stride.

The portal proceeded to close with the dark lord bidding goodbye, leaving a flushing Killer alone on the beach. 

It seemed words travel fast among the others in the castle regarding the reason for his supposed disappearance.

He had never seen Nightmare looking so torn between feeling astounded and wanting to whack his lackey upside the head before. The former had the grace to looked somewhat guilty at his defense, but it wasn't of any help what with the clearly flustered blush he had on his skull.

But never mind that, Killer was on his way to see Hearts, and he brought a little something along to spend his time with the other.

In his hand held a wicker basket, inside filled with finger foods and dry snacks for pickings, courtesy of Horror. But Killer nearly threw a knife at the other for sneaking in a packet of questionable rubber stretchables with a look that had been all too knowing of Killer's plans for today.

Don't tell anyone that he did take the offering though.

The contents inside the basket jostled at his briskly pace, and Killer couldn't hide his giddy grin at the thought of seeing Hearts' lovely visage. 

He followed the sandy shore up west, looking for the multitudes of rocky outcrop he and Hearts had parted off at that day. The sea rolled in in rippling waves as the skeleton searched, the current splish sploshing through the crevices of the protruding stones.

 _There!_ Killer's socket widen in recognition. The sizable stone perched near the furtherest most edge to the sea, the one the two had sat on that very evening.

Keeping a vice grip of the basket in his hand, Killer scaled the collection of stone perches in a few quick skips, the time he spend outside of Hearts' enclosure coming to mind.

The stone felt warm against his tarsals, heated from the day long shine of the sun. He took a seat on the edge of the stone, settling the picnic basket behind him. It was just like the last he had seen Hearts, sitting here looking out at the sunset with the rolling waves in the background.

The only thing missing now was the presence of the other individual seated by his side from that day.

There was this nagging voice behind Killer's skull, a quiet one that whisper cruel things to him on occasions. It pulled his doubts.

Will Hearts come?

Would he know that Killer came back? That he was waiting right here for him?

Had Hearts......forgot about him?

.....

_Pik Pik Pik Pik....._

_Click.....click!_

_The hell?!_ Killer jolted at a sharp pinch at his pinkie, pulling back the phalange in pain. He then looked down to find.....a hermit crab? How did it get here?

The little creature looked up at Killer with its beady eyes, claws clicking in rhythm at the skeleton. There was a particular thing about the crab, making Killer raised a bonebrow in wonder.

Instead of a tiny conch shell, the crustacean adorned a round lilac bauble on its back, glittering with water on the glass surface.

A glass hermit cra—?

“A little crab came and told me, that she saw a land walker on shore.”

That ever soothing voice, so playful in its right, said from out of Killer’s peripheral. He swiftly turned around to the speaker’s direction, to find pretty purple orbits peering at him from within a lidded, grinning skull.

The merskeleton had his head partly perched above the stone, gazing in content at the land skeleton’s way. “And I just happened to be in the area. What luck!”

Killer felt his soul stuttered as Hearts leaned his skull to the side, resting his skull against a dainty hand.

“Welcome back, Killer dear~”  
  


As the lovers greeted each other in a kiss against the sunset, Killer felt his soul flickered into a soft swirling heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here’s to the end of this wacky tale XD 
> 
> Thank u to everyone that decided to give my writing a chance *wheeze* 
> 
> Aye, it is a series my dudes  
> There are some ideas I still wanna explore here, but they’ll be a bit more slow, cuz imma take a break a bit UwU  
> Tho ideas and concepts from you guys are always appreciated :D it helps inspire those writing juice bOI
> 
> And anyways, thanks for reading!!! ٩( ᐛ )و


	9. story doodles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> have some doods :D  
> .  
> .  
> bottom left is inspired by a comment by BookwyrmFinallyGotAnAccount

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been a while since i doodle skeles XD  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> style consistency?  
> never heard of her ; w ;


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